While FX's newly ordered show, Legion, is rooted in the X-Men comic books, showrunner Noah Hawley has said fans shouldn't expect any appearances from classic X-Men characters when the show eventually broadcasts. “Yeah, it’s none of the iconic characters from the movie franchise. I think that’s a strength on some level, because those characters come with rules. It’s hard. You don’t want to be handcuffed, when you’re trying to explore something. The power of making something unpredictable is really an important thing to preserve.” This isn't a big surprise, but it's certainly disappointing for fans who may have wanted this show to connect to the X-Men universe on film. The situation appears to be closer to the CW's DC universe and WB's DCEU, with both shows remaining in their own separate universes. Of course, this leaves a lot of room for the show to explore some corners of the X-Men lore that may not have been tackled onscreen, providing FX doesn't get shackled by Fox.
Of course, one of the more important aspects of Legion's main character, David Haller, is that he is the son of Professor Charles Xavier, the founder of the X-Men. When asked if Xavier would at least be mentioned in the adaptation, Haeley didn't rule out the possibility. “He could be. It’s a different story, but I’m not ruling that out.” When asked about the tone of the show, Hawley said that it won't be rooted in any particular time period, as opposed to the three most recent X-Men films, which took place in three different decades. “It’s a little more of a fable in my mind. If you were to say, 'Where is it, and when is it?,' it’s not exactly clear, I think. And a lot of it is because [David Haller’s] not exactly clear. It’s the world as perceived subjectively on some level. The recent X-Men movies, starting with First Class, are rooted in a time period and a world and playing with history in interesting ways. This isn’t doing that.”
Are you disappointed that Legion will be separate from Fox's X-Men films, or are you eager to see the show find it's own path? Sound off below!
About The Author:
Matt is a graduate of the Ryerson University School of Journalism, and has been a fan of superheroes since he picked up his first comic book issue as a child. While he works as a professional musician, Matt has a massive passion for comic books, films and heroes, along with participating in discussion and debate with the CBM community.